How to Setup Customer Labor Rates

Labor Rates are assigned to individual locations so that you don't have to remember how much to charge for labor hours when generating invoices.  ESC allows you to create as many rates as you need to - each rate contains both a full Labor amount and a Helper amount.  Then you choose a Labor Rate for each Location you setup in ESC.  It's as easy as that!

Create New Labor Rates

1. To create new a new rate, go to Customer Info → Enter Customer Labor Rates.
   
   
   
   
2. Click Add New.
3. Give the new rate a Name.
4. In the Labor Rate field, enter your full hourly rate.
5. If you charge a reduced rate for helper or apprentice technicians, enter that amount in the Helper Rate field.  
   Note: If you will not be using the Helper Rate field, it is possible to enter an overtime rate into this field instead.  Just be sure to set all overtime billing codes to a "Helper" type code.
6. Click OK and then exit the Enter Customer Labor Rate screen.
   
   

Set a Default Labor Rate

1. To determine which of your Labor Rates will be used as a default for new customers and locations, go to Company → System Setup → Customer.
2. In the Default Labor Rate field, select the Labor Rate that will be most frequently used for your customers.
3. Click OK.
   
   

Assign a Labor Rate to a Customer's Location

1. To change the Labor Rate for an individual location, click on the Customer Center button on the icon bar.
2. Search for the customer or location that you will need to edit.  Right-click on the location in the list that needs to be edited and select Edit Customer.  If you need to add a new customer, click the Add Customer button on the toolbar.
3. Under the Location tab of the customer's record, select the new Labor Rate for this location.
4. Click Save.
   
   

Edit an Existing Labor Rate

Editing an existing Labor Rate will apply all changes to every location that is assigned that rate.  If you do not wish to affect customers that are already using this rate, you'll need to create a new rate instead.

1. To edit an existing Labor Rate, go to Customer Info → Enter Customer Labor Rates.
2. Double-click on the rate that needs to be edited.
3. Update the necessary fields.
4. Click OK and then exit the Enter Customer Labor Rates screen.

Make a Labor Rate Inactive

If a Labor Rate is being used for any location, you won't be able to delete it from your database.  Instead, you'll want to make the rate inactive.

1. Go to Customer Info → Enter Customer Labor Rates.
2. Double-click on the rate that needs to be deactivated.
3. Uncheck the Active box. 
4. Click OK and then exit the Enter Customer Labor Rates screen.

How Do Labor Rates Work on an Invoice?

Labor is added to your invoices as a Billing Code.  When setting up your billing codes, you'll be asked to select a code Type.  Creating or using a billing code with a Type of "Labor" will automatically pull from the Labor Rate field in the location's assigned Labor Rate.  

Creating or using a billing code with a Type of "Helper" will pull from the Helper Rate field in the location's assigned Labor Rate.  

When those codes are added to the invoice, they will automatically show the appropriate Price and calculate the Amount based on the Quantity of hours entered.